Footloose (song)#Blake Shelton version
{{Short description|1984 single by Kenny Loggins}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Footloose
| cover = KennyLooginsFootlooseSingle.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Standard picture sleeve (7-inch single pictured)
| type = single
| artist = Kenny Loggins
| album = Footloose: Original Soundtrack of the Paramount Motion Picture
| B-side = Swear Your Love
| released = January 11, 1984
| recorded = 1983
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = {{hlist|Rock|country{{cite web|url=https://www.liveabout.com/top-best-party-songs-of-all-time-3248355|title=The Top 100 Best Party Songs of All Time|last=Lamb|first=Bill|date=2019-05-22|website=LiveAbout|access-date=2024-03-10}}|rockabilly{{cite web|first= Tom |last= Breihan |title= The Number Ones: Kenny Loggins' "Footloose|website= Stereogum |date= August 12, 2020 |url= https://www.stereogum.com/2094311/the-number-ones-kenny-loggins-footloose/columns/the-number-ones/|quote= It’s also deeply cheesy — a thoroughly ’80s take on ’50s rockabilly...|accessdate= July 29, 2023}}|heartland rock{{Cite podcast|url=https://slate.com/podcasts/hit-parade/2024/09/how-1984-became-pops-greatest-year|title=What's 1984 Got to Do with It Edition|website=Hit Parade {{!}} Music History and Music Trivia|publisher=Slate|last=Molanphy|first=Chris|date=September 16, 2024|access-date=January 18, 2025}}}}
| length = 3:48 (album version)
3:42 (single edit)
2:56 (video edit)
| label = Columbia
| writer = {{hlist|Kenny Loggins|Dean Pitchford[{{AllMusic|class=song|id=t2453337|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic entry]}}
| producer = {{hlist|Kenny Loggins|Lee DeCarlo}}
| prev_title = Welcome to Heartlight
| prev_year = 1983
| next_title = I'm Free (Heaven Helps the Man)
| next_year = 1984
}}
"Footloose" is a song co-written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins. It was released in January 1984 as the first of two singles by Loggins from the 1984 film of the same name (the other one being "I'm Free (Heaven Helps the Man)"). The song spent three weeks at number one, March 31—April 14, 1984, on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Loggins' only chart-topper, and was the first of two number-one hits from the film. Billboard ranked it at the No. 4 song for 1984.Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1984
The song was very well received, and is one of the most recognizable songs recorded by Loggins. When the American Film Institute released its AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs, "Footloose" reached the 96th position. The song was covered by country music artist Blake Shelton for the 2011 remake of the 1984 film.
It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 1985 ceremony, losing to Stevie Wonder's "I Just Called to Say I Love You" from The Woman in Red.
The single version is slightly shorter in length compared to the album version. It begins with a soloed guitar track instead of a drum intro, and features more prominent backing vocals in the mix, particularly towards the end of the song.
In 2018, it was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".{{cite web | url=https://www.loc.gov/item/prn-18-028/ | title=National Recording Registry Reaches 500 | work=Library of Congress | date=March 21, 2018 | access-date=March 21, 2018}}
The song has repeatedly been noted for resembling some of the James Gang's "Funk 49".
Music video
The music video for "Footloose" was directed by Brian Grant. It uses the single version and features several scenes from the film, in particular the warehouse where Kevin Bacon's character performs an unorchestrated dance routine (which was actually performed to a different song in the film itself).
Personnel
- Kenny Loggins – lead vocals
- Neil Larsen – keyboards
- Steve Wood – keyboards, backing vocals
- Buzz Feiten – guitar
- Nathan East – bass guitar, vocals ("Put your feet on the ground"){{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CurJUtH6LiE |title=Nathan East Breaks Down his Most Iconic Bass Parts |date=2025-01-20 |last=Vertex Effects |access-date=2025-01-26 |via=YouTube}}
- Michael Boddicker – synth bass, percussion
- Tris Imboden – drums
- Paulinho da Costa – percussion
- Marilyn Dorman, Rick Washington, & Lynn Fanelli – backing vocals
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable"
!Chart (2019) !Peak |
| {{single chart|Poland|52|chartid=2965|year=2019|access-date=February 12, 2019}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
=All-time charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| Chart (1958–2018)
! Position |
|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100-60th-anniversary|title=Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart|magazine=Billboard|access-date=10 December 2018}}
| style="text-align:center;"|313 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=single|artist=Kenny Loggins|title=Footloose|award=Platinum|relyear=1984|certyear=1985|certref={{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1985/CB-1985-05-11.pdf|title=And Fancy Free |magazine=Cash Box|via=World Radio History|page=8|date=May 11, 1985|access-date=December 8, 2021}}}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=single|artist=Kenny Loggins|title=Footloose|award=Platinum|relyear=1984|certyear=1984|access-date=May 22, 2021}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|type=single|artist=Kenny Loggins|title=Footloose|award=Platinum|id=11855|relyear=1984|certyear=2022|access-date=November 22, 2022}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|artist=Kenny Loggins|title=Footloose|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1984|certyear=2023|access-date=February 17, 2023}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|artist=Kenny Loggins|title=Footloose|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1984|certyear=2019|id=7435|access-date=December 9, 2019}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=Kenny Loggins|title=Footloose|type=single|award=Platinum|number=4|relyear=1984|certyear=2024|source=radioscope|access-date=January 4, 2025}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Spain|artist=Kenny Loggins|title=Footloose|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1984|certyear=2024|access-date=August 26, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Kenny Loggins|title=Footloose|award=Platinum|number=3|relyear=2004|certyear=2024|id=13042-3970-1|access-date=September 23, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Kenny Loggins|title=Footloose|award=Platinum|relyear=1984|certyear=1990|access-date=December 12, 2018}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true}}
Blake Shelton version
{{Infobox song
| name = Footloose
| cover = BlakeSheltonFootloose.jpg
| alt =
| type =
| artist = Blake Shelton
| album = Footloose
| released = {{start date|2011|11|08}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Country pop
| length = {{Duration|m=3|s=38}}
| label = Atlantic
| writer = {{hlist|Kenny Loggins|Dean Pitchford}}
| producer =
}}
Blake Shelton covered the song for the 2011 remake of the film. Shelton's version also appears on the film's soundtrack. It charted at number 63 on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in November 2011. A music video for Shelton's version of the song, directed by Shaun Silva, premiered in October 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.cmt.com/videos/blake-shelton/699177/footloose.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111011133758/http://www.cmt.com/videos/blake-shelton/699177/footloose.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 11, 2011|title=CMT : Videos : Blake Shelton : Footloose|publisher=Country Music Television|access-date=October 8, 2011}}
=Music video=
The video opens with Blake Shelton driving a pickup truck into a drive-in theater screening the 2011 remake of the 1984 movie wherein the manager and ticket seller tells him that the film was only about to start. He then enters the compound where the cinema patrons watch the film while his backing band set up their instruments, which make the patrons take notice of them. Shelton and his band begin to perform the song and the theater patrons join in dancing while scenes from the film are played. The music video was filmed in early 2011 at the Hi-Way 50 Drive In theater located in Lewisburg, Tennessee.
=Personnel=
- Blake Shelton – vocals
=Chart performance=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Chart (2011)
! Peak |
|---|
| {{singlechart|Canada|59|artist=Blake Shelton|access-date=November 17, 2011}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardcanadacountry|35|artist=Blake Shelton|access-date=November 28, 2017}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardhot100|63|artist=Blake Shelton|access-date=November 17, 2011}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardcountrysongs|53|artist=Blake Shelton|access-date=November 17, 2011}} |
=Certifications=
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|award=Gold|type=single|artist=Blake Shelton|title=Footloose|relyear=2011|certmonth=10|certyear=2016}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true | nosales=true|noshipments=true}}
Other cover versions
VeggieTales performed this song on the album Bob and Larry Sing the 80's.
The final episode of the second season of Regular Show titled "Karaoke Video", where Pops (voiced by Sam Marin) sings his version of the song towards the end.
American pop punk band Good Charlotte covered the song for the film Not Another Teen Movie.
Sam Evans (Chord Overstreet) and Artie Abrams (Kevin McHale) performed this song in the Glee season 4 episode "Girls (and Boys) On Film".
Andrew Goodwin and David Johnson sang a cover of this song for Final Space, season 2, episode 4, "The Other Side".
The song is featured on the dance-based music game Just Dance Kids 2014 and covered by The Just Dance Kids. It is also featured on Just Dance 2018 as a cover by Marc Martel (credited as "Top Culture" in game).
Swedish band Herreys recorded a Swedish version for their album Diggi Loo, Diggi Ley.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20081119152521/http://retrorewind.com/tales.htm Kenny Loggins discusses "Footloose"] - RetroRewind interview
{{Kenny Loggins}}
{{Blake Shelton}}
{{Footloose}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
Category:Cashbox number-one singles
Category:Music videos directed by Shaun Silva
Category:Number-one singles in Australia
Category:Number-one singles in New Zealand
Category:Oricon International Singles Chart number-one singles
Category:RPM Top Singles number-one singles
Category:Number-one singles in South Africa
Category:Songs written by Kenny Loggins
Category:Songs written by Dean Pitchford
Category:Columbia Records singles
Category:Atlantic Records singles
Category:United States National Recording Registry recordings